Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

The refrigerator comprises: a cabinet having a storage space; a door over the storage space; support members; a storage member pushed in or drawn out along the support member, and having an opening in the top surface so that food maybe inserted therethrough; a shielding member, provided above the storage member and a rear portion of the opening; a cover member over a front portion of the opening, and is moved, when the storage member being pushed in or drawn out, in the opposite direction to the storage member, and is moved rearward between the shielding member and the storage member when the storage member is drawn out; and a driving unit connecting the storage member and the cover member so as to move together.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a Divisional Application of U.S. application Ser.No. 15/765,327, filed Apr. 2, 2018, which is a U.S. National StageApplication under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT Application No.PCT/KR2016/011073, filed Oct. 4, 2016, which claims priority to KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2015-0138977, filed Oct. 2, 2015, and KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2016-0070595, filed Jun. 7, 2016, whose entiredisclosures are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator. Specifically, thepresent disclosure relates to a refrigerator having a storage memberwhich can be drawn out of a space in which an object to be refrigeratedor frozen is stored, and the present disclosure relates to arefrigerator in which an opening of the storage member can be easilyopened or closed and an open area of the opening can be expanded.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance for storing food in astorage space therein, which is shielded by a door, and is configured tokeep food in an optimal state by cooling the inside of the storage spaceusing the cool air generated through heat exchange with a refrigerantthat circulates a cooling cycle. The refrigerator tends to beenlargement and multifunction in accordance with change of food life andvarious tastes of users, and a refrigerator configured to have variousspaces for use convenience of users and have a convenience device islaunching.

For example, the refrigerator of the related art includes a rackpartitioning a storage space up and down and a drawer arranged below therack and drawn out toward a forward direction. Meanwhile, the drawerapplied to the refrigerator of the related art forms a storage spaceopened upwardly, and is provided to insert or draw food into or out ofthe storage space after the storage space is exposed by the user byforward pulling the drawer to allow the drawer to be drawn out.

At this time, since the exposed area of the storage space of the drawercorresponds to the area where the drawer is drawn out, the user shoulddraw out the drawer more and more to put storage goods having a bigvolume or a long length into the drawer. Therefore, inconvenience occursin use of the drawer if the volume of the storage goods is big when theuser puts the storage goods into the storage space of the drawer.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

An object of the present disclosure is to basically solve theaforementioned problem. Through one embodiment of the presentdisclosure, another object of the present disclosure is to provide arefrigerator in which a storage member of which storage space is exposedby movement is provided, and the storage space is wider than the movingwidth of the storage member.

Through one embodiment of the present disclosure, still another objectof the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator in which a movingdirection of a storage member is different from that of a cover memberthat opens or closes a storage space of the storage member. Through oneembodiment of the present disclosure, further still another object ofthe present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator in which aninsertion operation may be performed easily in a state a storage memberis drawn out.

Through one embodiment of the present disclosure, further still anotherobject of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator in which acover member may close a storage space of a storage member after thecover member moves backward and then automatically moves forward. Inthis case, a refrigerator is provided in which a cover member may closea storage member even though a user manipulates only the storage memberwithout manipulating the cover member.

Through one embodiment of the present disclosure, further still anotherobject of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator in which afront end of a cover member ascends to enlarge an inlet area of astorage member. Particularly, a refrigerator is provided in which aninlet area of a storage member may be more enlarged because a user'seyes and hand approach to the inlet in an oblique direction.

Technical Solution

To achieve the objects, according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure, a refrigerator comprises a cabinet having a storage space; adoor for opening and closing the storage space; a pair of supportmembers, each of which is provided at each of both sides of the storagespace; a storage member provided between the pair of support members andinserted into and drawn out along the support members, having an inleton an upper surface so that food is inserted therethrough; a shieldingmember provided above the storage member, for shieling a rear portion ofthe inlet of the storage member; a cover member shielding a frontportion of the inlet of the storage member, moving in an oppositedirection of a moving direction of the storage member by interworkingwith insertion and draw-out operation of the storage member and movingbackward between the shielding member and the storage member when thestorage member is drawn out; and a driving unit connecting the storagemember and the cover member so as to interwork with each other.

The storage member may be provided to be more protruded forward than theshielding member in a state that the storage member is inserted. Thecover member may be provided to shield a front portion of the inlet ofthe storage member more protruded forward than the shielding member.Therefore, the front portion of the inlet formed above the storagemember may be shielded by the cover member, and the rear portion thereofmay be shielded by the shielding member.

Preferably, an area spaced up and down is formed between the shieldingmember and the storage member so that the cover member may be insertedinto the spaced area. That is, the cover member may slidably be insertedinto the spaced area between the shielding member and the storagemember.

The shielding member may be any one of a drawer assembly forming aseparate storage space and a rack on which food is mounted. A lower wallof the drawer assembly or the rack may shield the inlet of the storagemember at the upper portion.

The driving unit may include a second gear assembly coupled with thestorage member, moving in the same direction as that of the storagemember when the storage member is inserted or drawn out; a first gearmember coupled with the cover member, moving in the same direction asthat of the cover member; and a connection gear rotatably providedbetween the second gear assembly and the first gear member, connectingthe second gear assembly with the first gear member.

The second gear assembly may move in a single body with the storagemember, and the first gear member may move in a single body with thecover member. Preferably, the second gear assembly, the first gearmember and the connection gear are provided outside the support members.

Preferably, the support members are provided with a second slot forproving a passage where the second gear assembly and the storage memberare coupled with each other, and a first slot for providing a passagewhere the first gear member and the cover member are coupled with eachother. That is, an element provided outside the support members and anelement provided inside the support members may be coupled with eachother through the slots. That is, a force may be delivered between bothelements.

The second gear assembly may be provided to release coupling with thestorage member as the storage member is drawn out, so as to releaseinterworking between the storage member and the cover member. That is,the storage member and the second gear assembly move forward together,and if the storage member is drawn out to reach a preset distance,coupling between the storage member and the second gear assembly may bereleased. If coupling between the storage member and the second gearassembly is released, the storage member may be more drawn out in astate the coupling with the second gear assembly is released.

The storage member and the second gear assembly may again be coupledwith each other as the storage member is inserted in a state that thecoupling between the storage member and the second gear assembly isreleased. In a state that the storage member and the second gearassembly are coupled with each other, the storage member and the secondgear assembly may move backward together.

The storage member may elastically be deformed as it is drawn out, so asto provide an elastic member for providing an elastic restoring force inan insertion direction of the storage member and a forward movingdirection of the cover member. Preferably, one end of the elastic memberis fixed to the support members, and the other end of the elastic memberis fixed to the second gear assembly.

Therefore, the elastic member is elastically deformed if the second gearassembly moves forward. If the coupling between the second gear assemblyand the storage member is released, the elastic member is maintained atthe elastically deformed state. If the second gear assembly and thestorage member are again coupled with each other as the storage memberis manually inserted, the storage member may be more inserted by anelastic restoring force of the elastic member. At this time, the covermember moves forward by means of the elastic restoring force and thencloses the inlet at the front of the storage member. That is, the covermember may automatically close the storage member even though a usermanipulates only the storage member without manipulating the covermember.

The second gear assembly may include a second gear member connected withthe connection gear by gear coupling; and a binding member rotatablycoupled to the second gear member and selectively coupled with thestorage member by rotation. Preferably, the cover member includes acover body provided to ascend a front end when the cover member movesbackward, enlarging an area of the inlet.

Ascending of the front end of the cover member more enlarges the area ofthe inlet. The storage member may be at a position where a user's handand eyes may approach toward a downward oblique direction. Therefore,ascending of the front end of the cover member may more enlarge the areaof the inlet in a direction vertical to the oblique direction.

Preferably, the cover body is supported in an upper surface of thesupport members. Therefore, the cover body slidably moves backward alongthe support members and at the same time the front end may ascend.

Preferably, the upper surface of the support members is formed as anupwardly convex curved surface, and the cover body is formed as anupwardly convex curved surface to be matched with the upwardly convexcurved surface of the support members in shape. Through the curvedsurfaces, the area of the inlet may be increased and the cover membermay move smoothly.

The cover member may include a cover moving unit connected with thedriving unit at the rear of the cover body; and a fastening unitconnecting the cover body with the cover moving unit. Preferably, thecover body is rotatably connected with the cover moving unit through thefastening unit. A rear end of the cover body performs linear movementforward and backward together with the cover moving unit. Since thefront end of the cover body is rotated with respect to the rear end ofthe cover body, the front end of the cover body ascends up and downwhile moving forward and backward.

To achieve the objects, according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure, a refrigerator comprises a cabinet having a storage space; adoor for opening and closing the storage space; a pair of supportmembers, each of which is provided at each of both sides of the storagespace; a storage member provided between the pair of support members andinserted into and drawn out along the support members, having an inleton an upper surface so that food is inserted therethrough; a shieldingmember provided above the storage member, for shieling a rear portion ofthe inlet of the storage member; a cover member shielding a frontportion of the inlet of the storage member and moving in an oppositedirection of a moving direction of the storage member by interworkingwith insertion and draw-out operation of the storage member, provided toascend a front end while moving backward between the shielding memberand the storage member when the storage member is drawn out; and adriving unit connecting the storage member and the cover member so as tointerwork with each other.

The cover member may include a cover body having a rear end provided tomove forward and backward and a front end provided to ascend while beingrotated based on the rear end during forward and backward movement. Thecover member may include the cover body; a cover moving unit connectedwith the driving unit at the rear of the cover body; and a fasteningunit rotatably connecting the cover body with the cover moving unit.Preferably, the cover body is formed as an upwardly convex curvedsurface, and the upper surface of the support members is formed as anupwardly convex curved surface to be matched with the upwardly convexcurved surface of the cover body to support the cover body.

A refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosurecomprises a cabinet having a storage space; a door for opening andclosing the storage space; a pantry assembly provided in the storagespace, forming a separate food storage space; a shielding memberprovided above the pantry assembly, partially shielding an upper surfaceof the pantry assembly; a pair of support members arranged at both sidesof the storage space; a storage member provided between the pair ofsupport members and inserted into and drawn out along the supportmembers; a cover member partially shielding an opened upper surface ofthe storage member, moving in an opposite direction of a movingdirection of the storage member by interworking with insertion anddraw-out operation of the storage member; and a driving unit provided inthe support members, connecting the storage member and the cover memberso as to interwork with each other, wherein some of the opened uppersurface of the storage member is shielded by the shielding member andthe other opened upper surface is shielded by the cover member in astate that the storage member is insertee, and the cover member slidablymoves to an area between the shielding member and the storage memberwhen the storage member is drawn out.

Preferably, the storage member is provided to be more protruded forwardthan the shielding member in a state that the storage member isinserted, and the cover member is provided to shield the opened surfaceof the storage member more protruded forward than the shielding member.An area spaced up and down may be formed between the shielding memberand the storage member so that the cover member may be inserted into thespaced area. Therefore, the cover member may smoothly move backwardwithout any disturbing element.

The shielding member is a drawer assembly forming a separate storagespace. To identify the drawer assembly from the storage member, anelement including the storage member may be the pantry assembly. Theshielding member may be a plate shaped rack on which food may bearranged.

The driving unit may include a second gear assembly coupled with thestorage member, moving in the same direction as that of the storagemember when the storage member is inserted or drawn out; a first gearmember coupled with the cover member, moving in the same direction asthat of the cover member; and a connection gear rotatably providedbetween the second gear assembly and the first gear member, connectingthe second gear assembly with the first gear member.

Preferably, the second gear assembly, the first gear member and theconnection gear are provided outside the support members, and thesupport members are provided with a second slot for proving a passagewhere the second gear assembly and the storage member are coupled witheach other, and a first slot for providing a passage where the firstgear member and the cover member are coupled with each other.

The first gear member is provided with a cover coupling unit protrudedtoward an inner side of the support members by passing through the firstslot, and a first gear mounting unit into which the cover coupling unitis inserted may be formed to be recessed at a side of the cover member.The first gear mounting unit is formed to be opened backward. One of thefirst gear mounting unit and the cover coupling unit is provided with ahook protrusion which is protruded, and the other one is provided with ahook groove coupled with the hook protrusion.

The second gear assembly is provided to release coupling with thestorage member when the cover member moves backward at a maximum range,moves to a draw-out direction of the storage member after coupling withthe storage member is released, and again coupled with the storagemember and then moves together with the storage member when the storagemember is inserted.

The driving unit further includes an elastic member that forcesinsertion of the storage member in a state that the storage member andthe second gear assembly are coupled with each other. One end of theelastic member is fixed to one side of the support members, and theother end of the elastic member is fixed to one side of the second gearassembly.

The second gear assembly and the first gear member are formed to beextended longitudinally in a moving direction of the storage member, arack gear coupled with the connection gear by gear coupling is formedalong the extended direction in the second gear assembly and the firstgear member, and the connection gear is a pinion gear. The second gearassembly includes a second gear member coupled with the connection gearby gear coupling and a binding member rotatably coupled to one side ofthe second gear member and selectively coupled to the storage member byrotation.

The binding member is provided rotatably up and down, is coupled withthe storage member during upward rotation, and is provided to releasecoupling with the storage member during downward rotation. A bindingmember protrusion which is protruded is formed on a surface of thebinding member toward the support members, and is inserted into thesupport members, whereby a binding member guide is formed to guidemovement and rotation of the binding member. The binding memberprotrusion is formed at a position spaced apart from a rotational axisof the binding member.

The binding member guide includes a moving guide formed to be extendedforward and backward, supporting the binding member protrusion in astate that the binding member is rotated upwardly and guiding forwardand backward movement of the binding member protrusion, and a rotationguide extended downwardly at the front end of the moving guide,downwardly rotating the binding member by downwardly guiding the bindingmember protrusion. The rotation guide is extended from the front end ofthe moving guide to a downward direction and is formed to be inclinedbackward.

A hook portion in which the binding member protrusion is bound and movesto the front of the second gear assembly is formed in a portion wherethe rotation guide and the rotation guide are in contact with eachother. The binding member protrusion is detached from the hook portionby rotation of the binding member, which is caused by contact betweenone side of the storage member and the binding member, when the storagemember is inserted.

A gear operation unit which is protruded is formed at a side of thestorage member, and a binding portion into which the gear operation unitis inserted and bound is formed to be recessed in the binding member.The binding portion is opened in a draw-out direction of the storagemember during downward rotation of the binding member, whereby the gearoperation unit is detached from the binding member.

To achieve the objects, according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure, a refrigerator comprises a storage compartment including anopened surface communicated with the outside and providing a space whererefrigerating goods or freezing goods are stored; a drawer provided tobe drawn out of the storage compartment toward the front, including astorage unit providing the space where the refrigerating goods or thefreezing goods are stored and having an inlet on an upper surface; thestorage unit provided in the drawer, providing the space where therefrigerating goods or the freezing goods are stored and having theinlet on the upper surface; first and second support members provided atboth facing ends of the drawer, providing a moving path of the drawer; acover member supported in the first and second support members andlocated above the storage unit, preventing a front area of the inletfrom being externally exposed; and a driving unit moving the covermember to expose the inlet if the drawer moves to a direction of theopened surface and moving the cover member so as not to expose the inletif the drawer moves to be far away from the opened surface.

The driving unit may move the cover member in an opposite direction ofthe moving direction of the drawer. That is, the driving unit moves thecover member to enlarge the inlet if the drawer moves in a draw-outdirection, and moves the cover member to close the inlet if the drawermoves in an insertion direction.

The driving unit may include a first gear moving along a directionparallel with a moving direction of the cover member, fixed to the covermember; a second gear moving along a direction parallel with a movingdirection of the drawer, fixed to the drawer; and a connection gearrotatably provided between the first gear and the second gear,connecting the first gear with the second gear. The first support membermay include a first body to which the connection gear is rotatablyfixed; a first gear guider provided in the first body, guiding movementof the first gear; and a second gear guider provided in the first body,guiding movement of the second gear. One embodiment of the presentdisclosure may further include a first connector for coupling the firstgear with the cover member, and a second connector for coupling thesecond gear with the drawer.

The first support member may include a first body provided along adirection parallel with the moving direction of the drawer; a first gearguider provided in an opposite side of a side where the drawer islocated in an area of the first body, providing a moving path of thefirst gear; a first slot provided in the first gear guider to passthrough the first body, providing a moving path of the first connector;a second gear guider provided in an opposite side of a side where thedrawer is located in the area of the first body; and a second slotprovided in the second gear guider to pass through the first body,providing a moving path of the second connector. The second connectormay further include a detachable body coupled to the second gear by ahinge, moving along the second slot, to which the drawer body isdetachably coupled; and a connector guider provided in the second gearguider, detaching the detachable body from the drawer when the drawerbody is drawn out of the storage space.

One embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a gearoperation unit protruded from the drawer to the first body; first andsecond stoppers provided in the detachable body, providing a space inwhich the gear operation unit is received; and a coupling axis couplingthe detachable body to the connector guider. The connector guider maymove the coupling axis to allow the stopper provided to be close to theinlet from the first and second stoppers to be far away from the drawerif the drawer is drawn out of the storage compartment at a presetreference distance or more. The connector guider may further include afirst axis guider provided in the second gear guider to be parallel withthe moving direction of the drawer, providing a moving path of thecoupling axis; and a second axis guider extended from the first axisguider to a direction far away from the drawer, providing the movingpath of the coupling axis.

One embodiment of the present disclosure may further include aprotrusion provided in any one of the drawer and the first body; and adrawer guider provided in the other one of the drawer and the first bodyto be parallel with a moving direction of the drawer, providing a movingpath of the protrusion. The first support member may include a firstbody provided along a direction parallel with the moving direction ofthe drawer; and a first front curved portion provided to be protrudedfrom an upper surface of the first body. The second support member mayinclude a second body provided along a direction parallel with themoving direction of the drawer; and a second front curved portionprovided to be protruded from an upper surface of the second body.

The cover member may include a cover body supported in the first frontcurved portion and the second front curved portion, preventing the frontof the inlet from being externally exposed; and a moving unit connectedwith the first gear and rotatably coupled with the cover body. The firstcurved portion, the second curved portion and the cover body may beprovided to have the same curvature.

One embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a firstcover guider provided in the first front curved portion, supporting oneend of an edge of the cover body and guiding movement of the covermember; and a second cover guider provided in the second front curvedportion, supporting the other end of the edge of the cover body andguiding movement of the cover member.

One embodiment of the present disclosure may further include aprotrusion provided in any one of the cover body and the moving unit;and a slot provided in the other one of the cover body and the movingunit to receive the protrusion, providing a space where the protrusionmay move along a height direction of the drawer. The cover member may beprovided to cover only a partial area of the inlet. The drawer mayfurther include a drawer communication unit for communicating thestorage unit with the storage space.

The features in the aforementioned embodiments may complexly be appliedto the other embodiments unless contradicted or exclusive.

Advantageous Effects

First of all, the cover member for partially shieling the opened surfaceof the storage member in a state that the storage member is insertedmoves in an opposite direction of the moving direction of the storagemember by interworking with insertion and draw-out operation of thestorage member. Therefore, since the storage space wider than thedraw-out width of the storage member is exposed, the user may easilyinsert or draw foods of a relatively great volume into or out of thestorage space even though the user draws the storage member out of thestorage space at a relatively small width. Therefore, use convenience ofthe storage member may be improved remarkably.

Secondly, in a state that the storage member is inserted, the openedsurface of the storage member is partially shielded by the shieldingmember provided above the storage member and the other opened surface isshielded by the cover member. In this case, the cover member slidablymoves to the area between the shielding member and the storage memberwhen the storage member is drawn out. Therefore, the cover member maymove without interfering with the other elements in the refrigeratorincluding the shielding member when the cover member moves byinterworking with the insertion and draw-out operation of the storagemember.

Thirdly, the driving unit connecting the storage member with the covermember includes the second gear assembly coupled with the storagemember, the first gear member coupled with the cover member, and theconnection gear connecting the second gear assembly with the first gearmember. At this time, since the connection gear is rotatably providedbetween the first gear member and the second gear assembly, the firstgear member and the second gear assembly may move in an oppositedirection.

Fourthly, since the driving unit further includes the elastic member forforcing insertion of the storage member, the storage member may easilybe inserted by the elastic force of the elastic member in a state thatthe storage member is drawn out. Therefore, even though heavy food isreceived in the storage member, the user may insert the storage memberat a less force, whereby use convenience is improved.

Fifthly, the second gear assembly is released from coupling with thestorage member when the cover member moves backward at a maximum range,and is again coupled with the storage member when the storage member isinserted, whereby the second gear assembly moves together with thestorage member. Therefore, the storage member is released fromconnection with the driving unit in a state that the cover member movesbackward at a maximum range, whereby a draw-out operation may beperformed continuously.

Sixthly, the second gear assembly includes the second gear membercoupled with the connection gear and the binding member rotatablycoupled to the second gear member and selectively coupled with thestorage member by rotation. The binding member is provided rotatably upand down, and is provided to be coupled with the storage member duringupward rotation and to be released from coupling with the storage memberduring downward rotation. At this time, since the binding member isreleased from coupling with the storage member by downward rotationcorresponding to a gravity direction, coupling release from the storagemember may be performed more stably.

Seventhly, in the coupling structure between the first gear member andthe cover member, the first gear member is provided with the covercoupling unit protruded inwardly, and the first gear mounting unit intowhich the cover coupling unit is inserted and coupled is formed to berecessed at the side of the cover member. At this time, the first gearmounting unit is formed to be opened toward the rear of the covermember. Therefore, during coupling between the cover member and thefirst gear mounting unit, since the cover member moves backward and thusthe first gear mounting unit is slidably inserted into the covercoupling unit, the first gear mounting unit may easily be coupled withthe cover member, whereby assembly work may be performed easily.

Eighthly, the refrigerator may be provided in which the cover membermoves backward and then moves automatically forward to close the storagespace of the storage member. Therefore, the cover member may close thestorage member even though the user manipulates the storage member onlywithout manipulating the cover member.

Ninthly, the refrigerator may be provided, which enlarge the area of theinlet of the storage member by ascending the front end of the covermember. Particularly, since the user's eyes and the user's hand approachto the inlet in an oblique direction, the refrigerator may be providedin which the area of the inlet of the storage member may be moreenlarged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating that a door of a refrigeratoraccording to the embodiment of the present disclosure is opened.

FIG. 2 is a cut view illustrating that a side storage member and apantry assembly in FIG. 1 are cut based on 2′-2″.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating that a pantry assembly in FIG. 2 is drawnout.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an entire structure of apantry assembly according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a pantry assembly into which astorage member in FIG. 3 is inserted.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a pantry assembly from which astorage member in FIG. 5 is drawn out.

FIG. 7 is a left side view illustrating a pantry assembly into which astorage member according to the embodiment of the present disclosure isinserted.

FIG. 8 is a left side view illustrating a pantry assembly from which astorage member according to the embodiment of the present disclosure isdrawn out.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an inner structure of a support memberaccording to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating an example of a refrigerator according toanother embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are views illustrating examples of a storage device(pantry assembly) according to another embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating an example of a driving unit provided ina storage device shown in FIG. 11.

FIGS. 14 and 15 are views illustrating that a drawer provided in thestorage device shown in FIG. 11 is arranged in a storage space.

FIGS. 16 and 17 are views illustrating that a drawer provided in thestorage device shown in FIG. 11 is drawn out of a storage space.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE DISCLOSURE

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. However, spirits of the present disclosure is notlimited to the embodiments, and other regressive disclosure or otherembodiments included in a range of spirits of the present disclosure maybe suggested easily by addition, modification, deletion, etc. of antherelements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating that a door of a refrigeratoraccording to the embodiment of the present disclosure is opened. Asshown, an external the refrigerator according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure may be formed by a cabinet 10 forming a storage spaceand a door 20 for opening or closing the storage space.

The storage space may be partitioned up and down by a barrier 13,wherein a refrigerating compartment 11 may be formed at an upper sidebased on the barrier 13, and a freezing compartment 12 may be formed ata lower side based on the barrier 12. The barrier 13 may be provided topartition the storage space from side to side, and the freezingcompartment and the refrigerating compartment may be formed by beingpartitioned from side to side. Also, the storage space may not bepartitioned, and this storage space structure of the refrigerator is notlimited to this embodiment.

Meanwhile, the door 20 may include a refrigerating compartment door 21and a freezing compartment door 22. The refrigerating compartment door21 may be provided to open or close an opened front surface of therefrigerating compartment 11 by means of rotation. The freezingcompartment door 22 may be provided to open or close an opened frontsurface of the freezing compartment 12 by means of rotation.

The refrigerating compartment 21 and the freezing compartment door 22may be provided in pairs from side to side. In detail, the refrigeratingcompartment door 21 may be provided in pairs from side to side, whereinone of the doors may be opened or closed by rotation of a left area ofthe refrigerating compartment 11, and the other one door may be openedor closed by rotation of a right area of the refrigerating compartment11. The freezing compartment door 22 may be provided in pairs from sideto side, wherein one of the doors may be opened or closed by rotation ofa left area of the freezing compartment 12, and the other one door maybe opened or closed by rotation of a right area of the freezingcompartment 12. A plurality of members for receiving food, such asbaskets and daily corner, may be provided on a rear surface of the door20.

Meanwhile, a pantry assembly 50 of which storage space of food isexposed by forward insertion and draw-out may be provided in the storagespace. The pantry assembly 50 is characterized in that a food storagespace having an area greater than a draw-out area is externally exposedwhen the food storage space is drawn out forward.

The pantry assembly 50 may be provided anywhere in the refrigeratingcompartment 11 and the freezing compartment 12. Hereinafter, a structurethat the pantry assembly 50 is provided in the refrigerator 11 will bedescribed in detail.

A rack 30 may be provided in the refrigerating compartment 11. The rack30 may be provided in a plate shape for partitioning the refrigeratingcompartment 11 up and down, and a plurality of racks 30 may be providedfrom side to side and up and down.

The pantry assembly 50, which may store food separately, may be providedat a lower portion of the refrigerating compartment 11. The pantryassembly 50 may be arranged at the lowest area of the refrigeratingcompartment 11, and may be provided by being mounted and supported inthe barrier 13.

The pantry assembly 50 may be formed to have a left and right widthcorresponding to a left and right width of the refrigerating compartment11 and then adjoin left and right sidewalls of the refrigeratingcompartment 11. The pantry assembly 50 may include a storage member 200(or drawer) (FIG. 2) inserted or drawn out forward or backward. At thistime, the storage member 200 may be provided in a shape such as a drawerhaving a left and right width corresponding to the left and right widthof the refrigerating compartment 11.

A shielding member for partially shielding an opened upper surface ofthe storage member 200 in a state that the storage member 200 isinserted, may be provided above the pantry assembly 50. The shieldingmember may be a drawer assembly 40 that may store food separately, ormay be a plate shaped member such as a rack where food may be mounted.

Hereinafter, the embodiment in which the shielding member is a drawerassembly 40 will be described. The drawer assembly, which may store foodseparately, may be provided above the pantry assembly 50. The drawerassembly 40 may be provided in a shape on which food may be mounted, ormay be provided to be mounted on the pantry assembly 50.

FIG. 2 is a cut view illustrating that a side storage member and apantry assembly in FIG. 1 are cut based on 2′-2″, and FIG. 3 is a viewillustrating that a pantry assembly in FIG. 2 is drawn out. The pantryassembly 50 may include the storage member 200 that may be inserted ordrawn out forward or backward, and support members (or support) 300 and400 to or from which the storage member 200 is inserted or drawn out.

The storage member 200 may be provided with a storage space 210 openedupwardly. That is, the storage member 200 may be formed to have a lowersurface for forming the storage space 210 and a surrounding surfaceprotruded upwardly along a lower edge.

The support members 300 and 400 may be arranged at both sides of thestorage member 200, and may be provided to be fixed to an inner wall ofthe refrigerating compartment 11. The support members 300 and 400 mayinclude a first support member 300 arranged at the left side of thestorage member 200 and a second support member 400 (FIG. 4) arranged atthe right side of the storage member 200.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the first support member and the secondsupport member are provided in the same structure for stable insertionand draw-out operation of the storage member 200. In this embodiment,the storage member 200 has a symmetrical structure from side to side.Therefore, a detailed structure of the first support member 300 and aleft structure of the storage member 200 will be described in detail forconvenience of description.

A rail coupling unit 230 protruded outwardly may be formed at the leftside of the storage member 200. The rail coupling unit 230 may beinserted into the first support member 300, whereby a rail unit 310 towhich sliding movement is guided may be formed.

Meanwhile, the pantry assembly 50 may include a cover member (or cover)100 for partially covering the storage space 210 of the storage member200. The cover member 100 may be provided to move in an oppositedirection of a draw-out direction of the storage member 200 when thestorage member 200 is drawn out.

Meanwhile, a shielding member for covering the other area of the storagespace 210 except an area covered by the cover member 100 in a state thatstorage member 200 is inserted in a maximum range may be provided at anupper side of the storage member 200. The shielding member may be thedrawer assembly 40, or may be a plate shaped member such as a rack onwhich food may be mounted. The storage space 210 may be categorized intoa front storage space 211 covered by the cover member 100 and a rearstorage space 212 covered by the shielding member in a state that thestorage member 200 is inserted in a maximum range.

The cover member 100 is arranged at the upper side of the storage member200 to correspond to the front storage space 211, and may move backwardwhen the storage member 200 is drawn out forward, whereby the storagespace 210 of a front and rear length longer than the draw-out distanceof the storage member 200 may be exposed. At this time, the cover member100 may be inserted into an area between the storage member 200 and theshielding member. To this end, an area spaced up and down may be formedbetween the storage member 200 and the shielding member. The covermember 100 may be arranged at a height corresponding to the spaced area.

If the shielding member is the drawer assembly 40, the drawer assembly40 may include a side drawer 42 inserted or drawn out forward orbackward, in which food is stored, and a side drawer case 41 in whichthe side drawer 42 is mounted to be inserted or drawn out. The sidedrawer case 41 may be provided to cover upper and lower sides of theside drawer 42, and may be formed to form a space opened forward toreceive the side drawer 42 and to be inserted or drawn out forward orbackward. An upper surface of the side drawer case 41 may be formed in aplate shape such as the rack 30, to allow food to be mounted thereon.

Meanwhile, the pantry assembly 50 may have a structure protruded moreforward than the drawer assembly 40. In detail, in a state that thestorage member 200 and the side drawer 40 are initially inserted at amaximum range, a front surface of the storage member 200 may beprotruded more forward than a front surface of the side drawer 40. Thatis, the front surface of the storage member 200 may be more protrudedthan the front surface of the side drawer 40, thereby providing a stepdifference from the front surface of the side drawer 40.

At this time, the area of the storage member 200 more forward protrudedthan the side drawer 40 may be the are covered by the cover member 100.That is, the cover member 100 covers the area more forward protrudedthan the side drawer 40 in a state that the storage member 200 isinserted at a maximum range. When the storage member 200 moves forward,the storage member 200 moves backward, whereby the storage space 210 ofthe storage member 200 may be exposed more widely.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 2, the spaced area may be formed between thefront surface of the storage member 200 and the rear surface of therefrigerating compartment door 21. Therefore, in the structure that therefrigerating compartment 11 is opened or closed by a pair ofrefrigerating compartment doors 21 and the storage member 200 is formedat a size corresponding to the left and right width of the refrigeratingcompartment 11, the storage member 200 may be drawn out even though onlyone of the pair of refrigerating compartment doors 21 is opened.

That is, after the user opens one refrigerating compartment door 21, thestorage member 200 may be drawn out as much as the space where the rearsurface of the refrigerating compartment door 21 and the front surfaceof the storage member 200 are spaced from each other. At this time, theif the storage member 200 is drawn out forward, the cover member 100moves backward, whereby the storage space 210 of the storage member 200is more exposed than the draw-out distance. Therefore, the user may moreeasily use the storage space 210 by opening only one of therefrigerating compartment door 21 even in case that the draw-outdistance of the storage member 200 is restrictive.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an entire structure of apantry assembly according to the embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a pantry assembly into whichstorage member in FIG. 3 is inserted, and FIG. 6 is a perspective viewillustrating a pantry assembly from which storage member in FIG. 5 isdrawn out. Referring to the drawings, the pantry assembly 50 may includethe cover member 100, the storage member 200, the first support member300 and the second support member 400.

The storage member 200 may be provided to form the storage space 210opened upwardly, and may be provided with a manipulation unit 220 thatis formed on the front surface to be gripped by the user for insertionand draw-out manipulation. The manipulation unit 220 may be formed to berecessed in a lower end of a front surface of the storage member 200.

The cover member 100 may include a cover member 110 for covering a frontstorage space 211 of the storage member 200, and an extension unit 120extended from both rear ends of the cover member 110 to a backwarddirection. The extension unit 120 is a portion coupled to a first gearmember 600 which will be described later, and will be described in moredetail with reference to FIG. 9.

The pantry assembly 50 may include a driving unit (or driving assembly)500 that enables movement of the cover member 100 when the storagemember 200 is drawn out. The driving unit 500 may be provided in each ofthe first support member 300 and the fourth support member 400, and maybe provided at outer surfaces of the support members 300 and 400, whichcorrespond to an opposite side of a side toward the storage member 200of the support members 300 and 400.

The driving unit 500 may include a second gear assembly 700 coupled toone side of the storage member 200 and moved to a moving direction ofthe storage member 200 when the storage member 200 is drawn out, a firstgear member 600 coupled to one side of the cover member 100 and moved toan opposite direction of movement of the second gear assembly 700, and aconnection gear 800 connecting the first gear member 600 with the secondgear assembly 700 and moving the first gear member 600 and the secondgear assembly 700 in an opposite direction.

The first support member 300 may be formed in a plate shape to cover theleft side of the storage member 200. A rail unit 310 into which a railcoupling unit 230 of the storage member 200 is inserted may be formed atan inner side corresponding to a surface toward the storage member 200.The rail unit 310 forms a recessed space to allow the rail coupling unit230 to be inserted thereinto, and may be extended forward and backwardsuch that the storage member 200 may slidably be mounted on the railunit 310. At this time, the recessed space of the rail unit 310 isopened forward to enable insertion of the rail coupling unit 230, and afront end of the recessed space may be formed to be up and down greaterthan the other portions, such that the rail coupling unit 230 may easilybe inserted thereinto.

Meanwhile, a driving member mounting unit 230 on which the driving unit500 is mounted may be formed on the outer side of the first supportmember 300. A recess 321 in which the driving unit 500 is received maybe formed in the driving member mounting unit 230.

The recess 321 may be formed to be recessed to enable the operation ofthe driving unit 500 in a state that the driving unit 500 is received inthe recess 321. As the driving unit 500 is received in the recess 321,when the first support member 300 is mounted at the inner sidewall ofthe refrigerating compartment 11, interference with the inner side ofthe refrigerating compartment 11 may be avoided.

A first guide 322 for providing a passage where the first gear member600 and the cover member 100 are coupled to each other and guidingforward and backward movement of the first gear member 600 may be formedat the inner side of the recess 321. To this end, the first guide 322may be provide with a first slot 322 a formed by partially cutting theside of the first support member 300 and extended forward and backward.

A second guide 323 for providing a passage where the second gearassembly 700 and the storage member 200 are coupled to each other may beformed at the inner side of the recess 321. In detail, the second guide323 may be formed to be recessed at the outside of the first supportmember 300 such that a binding member 720 of the second gear assembly700, which will be described later, may be received therein and thenguided.

The second guide 323 may be protruded from the inner side of the firstsupport member 300. A second slot 323 a extended forward and backwardmay be formed at the portion projected at the inner side of the firstsupport member 300 by being cut. The second slot 323 a provides apassage into which a gear operation unit 240 protruded from the side ofthe storage member 200 is inserted and the binding member 720 may becoupled, and may be provided to guide movement of the gear operationunit 240. At this time, an input and output opening 323 b (FIG. 9)opened forward may be formed at the front end of the second slot 323 asuch that the gear operation unit 240 may be inserted into an inner sideof the second slot 323 a when the storage member 200 is inserted.

Meanwhile, a binding member guide 324 for guiding moving and rotationoperation of the binding member 720 may be formed below the second guide323 at the inner side of the recess 321. The binding member guide 324will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 7.

Meanwhile, the first gear member 600 may be formed to be extendedlongitudinally forward and backward, and a rack gear may be formed atthe lower end of the first gear member 600. The rack gear of the firstgear member 600 may continuously be formed from the rear end to thefront end of the first gear member 600. At this time, the rack gear ofthe first gear member 600 may continuously be formed as much as a lengthcorresponding a moving distance of the cover member 100.

The second gear assembly 700 may include a second gear member 710 and abinding member 720 rotatably coupled to one side of the second gearmember 710. The second gear member 710 may be formed to be extendedlongitudinally forward and backward, and a rack gear may be formed atits upper end. The rack gear of the second gear member 710 maycontinuously be formed from the front end of the second gear member 710to the rear end thereof. At this time, the rack gear of the second gearmember 710 may be formed continuously as much as a length correspondingthe moving distance of the cover member 100.

The binding member 720 may rotatably coupled to the front end of thesecond gear member 710, and may be provided to be protruded toward theinner side of the recessed space of the second guide 323, thereby beingreceived in the second guide 323. The binding member 720 may be providedto be selectively coupled to the gear operation unit 240 of the storagemember 200 by rotation. Driving of the binding member 720 will bedescribed in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

Meanwhile, the connection gear 800 may be provided rotatably between thefirst gear member 600 and the second gear member 710. The connectiongear 800 may rotatably be fixed to the first support member 400 in anarea between the first gear member 600 and the second gear member 710.

The connection gear 800 may be a pinion gear, and may be connected witha rack gear of the first gear member 600 and a rack gear of the secondgear member 710. At this time, in a state that the storage member 200 isinserted at a maximum range, the connection gear 800 may be located suchthat a rear end of the rack gear of the first gear member 600 may becoupled to the connection gear 800 and a front end of the rack gear ofthe second gear member 710 may be coupled to the connection gear 800.

Therefore, if the second gear member 710 moves forward when the storagemember 700 is drawn out, the first gear member 600 moves backward bymeans of rotation of the connection gear 800. Therefore, the covermember 100 coupled to the first gear member 600 moves backward when thestorage member 700 is drawn out. If the second gear member 710 movesbackward when the storage member 700 is inserted, the first gear member600 moves forward by means of rotation of an opposite direction of theconnection gear 800. Therefore, the cover member 100 moves forward whenthe storage member 700 is inserted.

Meanwhile, the driving unit 500 may further include an elastic member900 that provides an elastic force to backward move the second gearassembly 700 coupled to the storage member 200. The elastic member 900may provide an elastic force such that the storage member 200 may beinserted automatically at a predetermined position.

One end of the elastic member 900 may be fixed to one side of the secondgear member 710, and the other end of the elastic member 900 may befixed to one side of the rear end of the first support member 300. Tothis end, a first elastic member mounting unit 711 to which one end ofthe elastic member 900 is coupled may be formed in the second gearmember 710. A second elastic member mounting unit 330 to which the otherend of the elastic member 900 is coupled may be formed in the rear endof the first support member 300. Therefore, the elastic member 900 maybe elongated when the storage member 200 is drawn out and thus thesecond gear member 710 moves forward, and may provide an elastic forcesuch that the storage member 200 may be inserted automatically if thegear operation unit 240 and the binding member 720 are coupled to eachother.

FIG. 7 is a left side view illustrating a pantry assembly into which astorage member according to the embodiment of the present disclosure isinserted, and FIG. 8 is a left side view illustrating a pantry assemblyfrom which a storage member according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure is drawn out. Referring to the drawings, the first gearmember 600 may be located at an upper portion spaced apart from thesecond gear assembly 700 at a predetermined interval. The connectiongear 800 may be formed to have an outer diameter corresponding to aspaced width between the first gear member 600 and the second gearassembly 700. The connection gear 800 may be connected with the firstgear member 600 and the second gear member 710 between the first gearmember 600 and the second gear member 710 by gear coupling.

In a state that the storage member 200 is inserted at a maximum range,the first gear member 600 may move forward at a maximum range, and thesecond gear assembly 700 may move backward at a maximum range. At thistime, the rear portion of the rack gear of the first gear member 600 andthe front portion of the rack gear of the second gear member 710 may belocated to be partially overlapped with each other. The connection gear800 may be connected with the rear portion of the rack gear of the firstgear member 600 and the rear portion of the rack gear of the second gearmember 710 by gear coupling. The binding member 720 may be coupled tothe gear operation unit 240 of the storage member 200.

Therefore, in a state that the storage member 200 is inserted at amaximum range, the first gear member 600 may move immediately backwardwhen the storage member 200 is drawn out. Therefore, the cover member100 is inserted backward together with draw-out operation of the storagemember 200.

Meanwhile, the binding member 720 may axially be coupled to a bindingmember mounting unit 712 formed at the front end of the second gearmember 710, thereby being rotated up and down. A binding unit 722recessed in a shape corresponding to the gear mounting unit 240 may beformed at the position corresponding to the gear operation unit 240 atan upper end of the binding member 720. Therefore, the in a state thatthe binding member 720 is rotated upwardly, the gear operation unit 240may be inserted into the binding unit 722 and then coupled to the firstgear assembly 700. If the binding member 720 is rotated downwardly, thegear operation unit 240 may be detached from the binding unit 722,whereby a coupling state with the first gear assembly 700 may bereleased.

Meanwhile, a binding member protrusion 721 received in the bindingmember guide 324 may be formed at one side of the binding member 720forward spaced apart from the rotation center of the binding member 720.The binding member protrusion 721 may be protruded from the inner sideof the binding member 720 headed for the binding member guide 324.Therefore, the binding member protrusion 721 may be inserted into thebinding member guide 324, whereby forward and backward movement of thesecond gear assembly 700 may be guided by the binding member guide 324.

The binding member guide 324 may be formed to form a recessed space suchthat the binding member protrusion 721 may be inserted into the recessedspace. The binding member guide 324 may include a moving guide 324 a anda rotation guide 324 b.

The moving guide 324 a may provide a function of guiding forward andbackward movement of the binding member 720 in a state that downwardrotation of the binding member 720 is avoided. To this end, the movingguide 324 a may be formed at the position corresponding to the bindingmember protrusion 721 in a state that the second gear assembly 700 movesbackward at a maximum range and the binding member 720 is rotatedupwardly, and may be formed to be extended forward.

Therefore, downward rotation operation of the binding member 720 may bebound as the binding member protrusion 721 is inserted into the movingguide 324 a and then supported in the inner lower surface of the movingguide 324 a. Forward movement of the binding member 720 may be guided ina state that downward rotation is bound when the second gear assemblymoves forward, as the binding member protrusion 721 is guided by themoving guide 324 a extended forward.

The rotation guide 324 b may provide a function of releasing couplingwith the storage member 200 by downwardly rotating the binding member720 in a state that the storage member 200 is drawn out as much as apredetermined distance. To this end, the rotation guide 324 b may beformed to be extended from the front end of the moving guide 324 a to adownward direction.

In detail, the rotation guide 324 b may be extended to be inclinedtoward a backward direction when it is extended from the front end ofthe moving guide 324 a to the downward direction. The inner space of therotation guide 324 b may be communicated with the inner space of themoving guide 324 a. A rounded round portion 324 c may be formed at anupper side connected with the moving guide 324 a at the inner side ofthe rotation guide 324 b.

Therefore, if the binding member protrusion 721 moves forward along themoving guide 324 a and then is located at the round portion 324 c, thebinding member protrusion 721 is guided by the round portion 324 c andenters the rotation guide 324 b. The binding member protrusion 721 isguided by the rotation guide 324 b and then moves downwardly. Therefore,the binding member 720 is rotated downwardly, whereby the coupling statewith the gear operation unit 240 may be released.

At this time, the rotation guide 324 b may be extended to be inclinedtoward a backward direction when it is extended from the front end ofthe moving guide 324 a to the downward direction. Therefore, a hookportion 324 d protruded upwardly and forward may be formed at a lowerside connected with the moving guide 324 a at the inner side of therotation guide 324 b.

Therefore, in a state that the binding member is rotated downwardly, thebinding member protrusion 721 is bound in the hook portion 324 d,whereby the binding member 720 is maintained at a state that it isrotated downwardly. That is, the second gear assembly 700 may bemaintained at a state that it moves forward without moving backward bymeans of an elastic force of the elastic member 900 in a state that thecoupling with the storage member 200 is released as the binding memberprotrusion 721 is bound in the hook portion 324 d.

Meanwhile, the binding member guide 324 may be formed longitudinally ata length corresponding to a moving distance of the cover member 100.That is, the rotation guide 324 b may be located to correspond to theposition of the binding member protrusion 721 in a state that the covermember 100 moves backward at a maximum range. Therefore, the storagemember 200 is drawn out, the storage member 200 is coupled with thebinding member 720 until the cover member 100 moves backward at amaximum range, whereby the cover member 100 moves. In a state that thecover member 100 moves backward at a maximum range, the coupling withthe binding member 720 is released, whereby the storage member 200 maybe drawn out forward.

At this time, the first gear member 600 may move backward at a maximumrange, and the second gear assembly 700 may move forward at a maximumrange. The connection gear 800 may be located at the front end of therack gear of the first gear member 600 and the rear end of the rack gearof the second gear member 710. In a state that the storage member 200 isdrawn out to release the coupling with the binding member 720, thesecond gear assembly 700 moves forward and then maintains a fixed stateas the binding member protrusion 721 is bound in the hook portion 324 d.

Meanwhile, when the storage member 200 inserted backward, the gearoperation unit 240 is in contact with one side of the binding member722, whereby the binding member protrusion 721 may be released from thehook portion 324 d. Therefore, the binding member 720 is rotatedupwardly by contact with the gear operation unit 240, whereby thebinding member 720 may be coupled with the gear operation unit 240. Thesecond gear assembly 700 coupled with the storage member 200 is forciblymoved backward by the elastic force of the elastic member 900.Therefore, the storage member 200 may easily be inserted automaticallybackward by the elastic force of the elastic member 900.

Particularly, in the structure of the second gear assembly, the bindingmember 720 is rotatably provided up and down and then is able to beselectively coupled with the gear operation unit 240 by up and downrotation. That is, the binding member 720 is rotated in a downwarddirection corresponding to a direction on which gravity acts, wherebythe binding member 720 is released from the gear operation unit 240. Thebinding member protrusion 721 is located in the rotation guide 324 b andthen bound in the hook portion 324 d. Therefore, the binding memberprotrusion 721 may stably be guided by the rotation guide 324 b bygravity when the storage member 200 is drawn out, whereby the bindingmember protrusion 721 may move downwardly. The binding member 720 maydownwardly be rotated more stably. The binding member protrusion 721 maymore stably maintain the state that it is bound in the hook portion 324d at the inner side of the rotation guide 324 b, by means of gravity.Therefore, stable operation of the pantry assembly 50 may be ensured.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an inner structure of a support memberaccording to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG.9, the rail unit 310 into which the rail coupling unit 230 of thestorage member 200 is inserted may be formed at the inner side of thefirst support member 300. The rail unit 310 forms a recessed space suchthat the rail coupling unit 230 may be inserted into the recessed space,and may be formed to be extended forward and backward. The recessedspace of the rail unit 310 may be opened forward to enable insertion ofthe rail coupling unit 230. A front end of the recessed space may beformed to be greater than the other portion up and down, therebyfacilitating insertion of the rail coupling unit 230.

Meanwhile, the second guide 323 may be formed to be protruded from theinner side of the first support member 300. A second slot 323 a extendedforward and backward may be formed to be cut at the portion where thesecond guide 323 is protruded toward the inner side of the first supportmember 300.

The gear operation unit 240 may be inserted into the second slot 323 ato provide a passage where the gear operation unit 240 may be coupledwith the binding member 720. The second slot 323 a may be provided toguide movement of the gear operation unit 240. To this end, an input andoutput opening 323 b opened forward may be formed at the front end ofthe second slot 323 a such that the gear operation unit 240 may beinserted into the second slot 323 a when the storage member 200 isinserted. Meanwhile, the first slot 322 a that provides a passage wherethe first gear member 600 is coupled with the cover member 100 andguides forward and backward movement of the first gear member 600 may beformed to be cut at the upper portion inside the first support member300.

A cover coupling unit 610 protruded toward the inner side of the firstsupport member 300 by passing through the first slot 322 a may be formedin the first gear member 600. A first gear mounting unit to which thecover coupling unit 610 is coupled may be formed at both sides of thecover member 100.

The first gear mounting unit 121 may be formed outside the extensionunit 120 of the cover member 100, and may be recessed in a shapecorresponding to the cover coupling unit 610 so that the cover couplingunit 610 may be inserted into the first gear mounting unit 121. Thefirst gear mounting unit 121 may be formed to be opened backward suchthat the cover coupling unit 610 may be inserted thereinto by slidablyinserting the cover member 100 from the front.

Meanwhile, the first gear mounting unit 121 may be fixed to theprotrusion of the cover coupling unit 610 by a coupling structure of agroove. For example, a hook protrusion 122 protruded downwardly may beformed on the upper surface inside the first gear mounting unit 121. Ahook groove 611 into which the hook protrusion 122 is inserted and thenbound may be formed at a position corresponding to the hook protrusion122 on the cover coupling unit 610. Therefore, if the cover couplingunit 610 is inserted into the first gear mounting unit 121 by slidinginsertion of the cover member 100 from the front, the cover member 100and the first gear member 600 are easily coupled with each other bycoupling of the hook protrusion 122 and the hook groove 611.

Hereinafter, the refrigerator according to another embodiment of thepresent disclosure will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.10 to 17. The storage device and the pantry assembly in this embodimentmay be similar to those of the aforementioned embodiment. The storagedevice and the pantry assembly in this embodiment may be different fromthose of the aforementioned embodiment in ascending of the cover member.That is, in this embodiment unlike the aforementioned embodiment, thefront end (portion where the cover member is located at the front whencovering the front of the storage member) of the cover member ascendswhen the cover member moves backward.

Elements shown in FIGS. 10 to 17 may be described as reference numeralsdifferent from those of the aforementioned embodiment even though theelements are the same as or similar to those of the aforementionedembodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the refrigerator of the presentdisclosure may comprise storage spaces 11 and 12 provided in thecabinet, providing spaces in which storage goods (refrigerating targetsor freezing targets) are received, and a heat exchanger 2 (see FIG. 15)for exchanging heat with the air inside the storage spaces.

The storage spaces may be provided inside the cabinet 10 in a pluralnumber. FIG. 10 illustrates an example that the storage spaces arecategorized into a first space 11 and a second space 12. If the storagespaces are partitioned into the first space 11 and the second space 12,the first space 11 may be provided as any one of the refrigeratingcompartment for refrigerating the storage goods and the freezingcompartment for freezing the storage goods, and the second space 12 maybe provided as the other one of the refrigerating compartment and thefreezing compartment. In this case, the first space 11 and the secondspace 12 may be partitioned from each other through a barrier 13.However, the first space and the second space may be provided topartition one space controlled by the same temperature. That is, boththe first space and the second space may be provided as therefrigerating compartment or the freezing compartment.

Each of the spaces 11 and 12 may be provided with an opened surface fordrawing the storage goods out toward the outside of the cabinet 10. Thatis, the first space 11 may be provided to be communicated with theoutside of the cabinet 10 through a first opened surface 111, and thesecond space may be provided to be communicated with the outside of thecabinet through a second opened surface 131.

The first opened surface 111 and the second opened surface 131 may beprovided to be opened or closed by the door. That is, the first openedsurface 111 may be provided to be opened or closed by one door, or maybe provided to be opened or closed by the pair of doors 21 respectivelyprovided at both ends which face each other (see FIGS. 15 and 17).Although not shown, the second opened surface 131 may be provided to beopened or closed by one door, or may be provided to be opened or closedby the pair of doors respectively provided at both ends which face eachother.

The heat exchanger 2 (see FIG. 15) may include a compressor 21A forcompressing a refrigerant, a condenser 23A for condensing a refrigerantdischarged from the compressor by heat-exchanging the refrigerant withthe external air of the cabinet, an expansion valve 25A for lowering apressure of the refrigerant discharged from the condenser, and anevaporator 27A for evaporating the refrigerant by heat-exchanging therefrigerant, which has passed through the expansion valve, with the airof the storage spaces 11 and 12. Since the evaporator absorbs heat fromthe air inside the storage space, the air circulating inside the storagespace is cooled while passing through the evaporator. Therefore, theheat exchanger may control temperatures of the first space 11 and thesecond space 12 to be lower than a room temperature.

To efficiently use the aforementioned storage spaces, a storage device Pis further provided in at least any one of the first space 11 and thesecond space 12. FIG. 10 illustrates an example that the storage deviceP is provided in the first space 11. Although FIG. 10 illustrates thatthe storage device P is supported by the barrier 13, if a rack (rackwhich may support a drawer provided in the storage device), which maysupport a lower portion of the storage device P, exists in the firstspace 11 or the second space 12, the storage device P may be provided tobe supported in the rack provided in the first space or the second spacenot the barrier 13.

Hereinafter, for convenience of description, description will be givenbased on the storage device P provided in the first space 11, having alower surface supported by the barrier 13. The storage device P includesa storage member or drawer 3 provided in the first space 11 to provide aspace where storage goods are received, and supported by the barrier 13,and first and second support members 300 and 400 for providing a movingpath of the drawer 3.

As shown in FIG. 11, the drawer 3 includes a drawer body 31 includes adrawer body 31 may be drawn out of the first space 11 through the firstopened surface 111, and a storage unit 311 provided in the drawer body31, in which storage goods are stored. The storage unit 311 may becommunicated with the outside of the drawer body 31 through an inlet 317formed on an upper surface of the drawer body 31, and the user mayinsert the storage goods or draw the storage goods out of the storageunit 311.

Meanwhile, a front panel 312 may be provided on a front surface (onesurface of the drawer body toward the first opened surface) of thedrawer body 31, and a handle 313, which may allow the user to draw outthe drawer body 31, may be provided on the front panel 312. Moreover, atleast partial area of the front panel 312 may be made of a transparentmaterial. This is to identify the inside of the storage unit 311 at thefront of the drawer body 31.

A plurality of rollers 315 may further be provided on the bottom of thedrawer body 31 to easily draw or insert the drawer body 31 out of orinto the first space 11. The rollers 315 may rotatably be providedanywhere in the drawer body 31 as far as the drawer body 31 may besupported in the barrier 13.

The first support member 300 and the second support member 400 mayrespectively be provided at both ends of the drawer body 31, which faceeach other. That is, the first support member 300 may be provided toinclude a first body 51 provided along a direction in parallel with amoving direction of the drawer body 31, and the second support member400 may be provided to include a second body 61 provided along adirection in parallel with a moving direction of the drawer body 31.

The drawer 3 includes a first rail coupling unit 32 protruded toward thefirst body 51 on the surface of the drawer body 31, and a second railcoupling unit 33 protruded toward the second body 61 on the surface ofthe drawer body 31, and the first body 51 and the second body 61 may beprovided with rail units 55 and 65 that provide a moving path (pathwhere the drawer body is drawn out of or inserted into the first space)of the rail coupling units 32 and 33.

That is, the first body 51 may include the first rail unit 55, whichprovides a moving path of the first rail coupling unit 32, and thesecond body 61 may include the second rail unit 65 that provides amoving path of the second rail coupling unit 33. As shown in FIG. 11,the rail coupling units 32 and 33 may be provided in the first body 51and the second body 61, and the first rail unit 55 and the second railunit 65 may be provided on both sides of the drawer body 31, which faceeach other.

The cover member 100 for opening or closing the inlet 317 is provided atthe upper portion of the drawer body 31, and the cover member 100 opensor closes the inlet 317 through the driving unit 500. The cover member100 is supported by the first support member 300 and the second supportmember 400 and thus is located at the upper portion of the inlet 317,and the driving unit 500 exposes the inlet 317 by moving the covermember 100 in an opposite direction of the moving direction of thedrawer body 31.

The cover member 100 includes a cover member body (or cover plate) 71supported by the first body 51 and the second body 61, a moving unit (ormoving assembly) 75 moving in an opposite direction of the movingdirection of the drawer body 31 through the driving unit 500, and afastening unit (or fastener) 77 for connecting the cover member body 71with the moving unit 75. The cover member body 71 may be made of atransparent material to allow the user to identify the inside of thestorage unit 311 from the outside. A reference position of the covermember body 71 is the front of the inlet 317. The reference positionmeans the position (position of the cover member body when the drawerbody 31 is located inside the first space 11) of the cover member body71 when the drawer body 31 is not drawn out of the first space 11, andthe cover member body 71 is provided to close the front space of theinlet 317 at the reference position.

Cover member flanges (or cover flange) 711 and 713 (see FIG. 10) forsupporting the cover member body 71 in the first body 51 and the secondbody 61 are provided in the cover member body 71. The cover memberflanges 711 may be categorized into the first cover member flange 711supported in the first body 51, and the second cover member flange 713supported in the second body 61. In this case, the first body 51 mayfurther include a flange storage groove 57 (see FIG. 10) in which thefirst cover member flange 711 is received, and the second body 61 mayfurther include a flange storage groove 67 (see FIG. 10) in which thesecond cover member flange 713 is received.

The moving unit 75 may be provided in all shapes that may connect thedriving unit 500 with the cover member body 71. In FIG. 11, the movingunit 75 includes a moving body (or moving plate) 751 provided to form aplane parallel with the inlet 317 and a bending unit (or extensions) 755to which the driving unit 500 is coupled by bending of both ends of themoving body 751, which face each other.

The fastening unit 77 may include a protrusion 771 provided in any oneof the cover member body 71 and the moving body 751, and a slot 773provided in the other one of the cover member body 71 and the movingbody 751, for receiving the protrusion 771. FIG. 11 illustrates anexample that the protrusion 771 is provided in the cover member body 71,and the slot 773 is provided in the bending unit 755 of the moving body.The slot 773 may be provided along a height direction (Z-axis direction)of the bending unit 771 such that the protrusion 771 may move along aheight direction (Z-axis direction) of the drawer body 31. This is toallow the cover member body 71 to move along the height direction of thedrawer body 31 if the cover member body 71 is provided as a curvedsurface.

The driving unit 500 may include a first gear 91 supported in the firstbody 51 and fixed to the moving unit 75, a second gear 93 supported inthe first body 51 and fixed to the drawer body 31, and a connection gear95 rotatably provided between the first gear 91 and the second gear 93,connecting the first gear 91 with the second gear 93. The connectiongear 95 may rotatably be fixed to the first body 51.

The first gear 91 may be provided as a rack gear movably provided alonga direction parallel with the moving direction (X-axis direction) of thecover member body 71, and the second gear 93 may be provided as a rackgear movably provided along a direction parallel with the movingdirection (X-axis direction) of the drawer body 31. In this case, theconnection gear 95 may be provided as a pinion.

Therefore, the driving unit 500 becomes a mechanism for moving (X-axisdirection) the cover member body 71 to expose the inlet 317 if thedrawer body 31 moves along a direction (X-axis direction) of the firstopened surface 111 and moving (X-axis direction) the cover member body71 so as not to expose the inlet 317 if the drawer body 31 moves along adirection (X-axis direction) far away from the first opened surface 111.Since the driving unit 500 that may be applied to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure moves the cover member body 71 in an oppositedirection of the moving direction of the drawer body 31, it is possibleto maximize the exposed area of the inlet 317 even though the drawerbody 31 moves only a little.

Unlike the aforementioned description, it is assumed that the covermember 100 is fixed to the upper portion of the drawer body 31 and thedrawer body 31 may be drawn out of the first space 11. The user shouldexpose the inlet 317 to insert or draw the storage goods into or out ofthe storage unit 311, and should draw the drawer body 31 out of thefirst space 11 to expose the inlet 317.

In this case, the area where the inlet 317 is externally exposed may bethe same as the area where the user draws the drawer body 31 out of thefirst space 11. Therefore, the user should more and more draw the drawerbody 31 out of the first space 11 if the volume of the storage goodsbecomes great when inserting or drawing the storage goods into or out ofthe storage unit 311.

However, since the driving unit 500 that may be applied to theembodiment of the present disclosure moves the cover member body 71 inan opposite direction of the moving direction of the drawer body 31, theinlet 317 may be exposed as much as a sum of an area of the inlet 317exposed as the drawer body 31 is drawn out of the first space 11 and anarea of the inlet 317 exposed as the cover member body 71 moves alongthe inside of the first space 11.

Therefore, according one embodiment of the present disclosure, since theinlet 317 may be exposed at an area greater than the upper area of thedrawer body 31 exposed as the drawer body 31 is drawn out of the firstspace 11, convenience may be provided to the user when the user insertsor draws the storage goods into or out of the storage unit 311. That is,according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, since the inlet317 is exposed at an area greater than the upper area of the drawer body31 exposed as the drawer body 31 is drawn out of the first space 11, itis convenient when the user inserts or draws storage goods having agreat volume into or out of the storage unit 311.

The first gear 91, the second gear 93 and the connection gear 95 may beprovided only in any one of the first support member 300 and the secondsupport member 400. However, since a moving distance of one surface ofthe moving body 751 which is in contact with the first body 51 should bethe same as a moving distance of one surface of the moving body 751which is in contact with the second body 62, it is preferable that thefirst gear, the second gear and the connection gear are respectivelyprovided in the first body 51 of the first support member and the secondbody 61 of the second support member.

If the driving unit 500 is respectively provided in the first supportmember 300 and the second support member 400, a first gear guider (orfirst gear guide) 52 (first support first gear guider) for providing amoving path of the first gear 92 and a second gear guider (or secondgear guide) 54 (first support second gear guider) for providing a movingpath of the second gear 93 may be provided in the first body 51, and afirst gear guider 62 (second support first gear guider, see FIG. 10) forproviding a moving path of the second gear 93 and a second gear guider64 (second support second gear guider, see FIG. 10) for providing amoving path of the second gear 93 may be provided in the second body 61.

The first gear guiders 52 and 62 and the second gear guiders 54 and 64may be provided on a surface toward the drawer body 31 from bothsurfaces of the first body 51 and the second body 61, or may be providedon an opposite side toward the drawer body 31. If the first gear guiders52 and 62 and the second gear guiders 54 and 64 are respectivelyprovided on one surface of the first body 51 and one surface of thesecond body 61 toward the drawer body 31, the connection gear 95 shouldrotatably be fixed to one surface of the first body 51 and one surfaceof the second body 61 toward the drawer body 31.

Meanwhile, the first gear guider 52 and the second gear guider 54 of thefirst support unit 5 may be provided on the opposite side of the sidetoward the drawer body 31 of the area of the first body 51, and thefirst gear guider 62 and the second gear guider 64 of the second supportunit 5 may be provided on the opposite side of the side toward thedrawer body 31 of the area of the second body 61 (FIG. 11). In thiscase, the first gear 91 should be connected to the moving body 751through a first connector 911, and the second gear 93 should beconnected to the drawer body 31 through a second connector 94.Therefore, a first slot 521A provided along a direction parallel with amoving direction of the cover member body 71, for providing a movingpath of the first connector 911 should be provided inside the first gearguider 52 of the first support unit, and a second slot 541 providedalong a direction parallel with a moving direction of the drawer body31, for providing a moving path of the second connector 94 should beprovided inside the second gear guider 62 of the second support unit.Likewise, a first slot 621A for providing a moving path of the firstconnector 922 should be provided in the first gear guider 62 of thesecond support unit 6, and a second slot 641 for providing a moving pathof the second connector 94 should be provided in the second gear guider64 of the second support unit.

The first gear guiders 52 and 62 and the second gear guiders 54 and 64may be provided in all shapes that may implement the aforementionedfunction. In FIGS. 10 and 11, as an example, the first gear guiders 52and 62 are provided to surround the first gear 91, thereby providing themoving path of the first gear 91, and the second gear guiders 54 and 64are provided to surround the second gear 93, thereby providing themoving path of the second gear 93.

In this case, a first communication unit 523A for coupling theconnection gear 95 to the first gear 91 may be provided in the firstgear guider 52 of the first support unit, and a second communicationunit 543 for coupling the connection gear 95 to the second gear 93 maybe provided in the second gear guider 54 of the first support unit. Thefirst gear guider 62 and the second gear guider 64 of the second supportunit are provided in the same structure.

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, tomore enlarge the area of the inlet 317 opened by the cover member body71, first curved portions (or first curved regions) 511 and 513 may beprovided on the upper surface of the first body 51, and second curvedportions (or second curved regions) 611 and 613 may be provided on theupper surface of the second body 61. The first curved portion mayinclude a first front curved portion 511 located at the front on theupper surface of the first body 51 and a first rear curved portion 513extended from the first front curved portion 511 to the rear of theupper surface of the first body 51, and the second curved portion mayinclude a second front curved portion 611 located at the front on theupper surface of the second body 61 and a second rear curved portion 613extended from the second front curved portion 611 to the rear of theupper surface of the second body 61. In this case, the first frontcurved portion 511 and the second front curved portion 611 may beprovided to have the same curvature, and the cover member body 71 may beprovided as a curved surface having the same curvature as that of thefirst front curved portion and the second front curved portion.

As shown in FIG. 12, if the curved portions 511 and 611 are provided atthe front on the upper surfaces of the bodies 51 and 61, when the covermember body 71 moves to the rear of the first space 11 as much as thesame distance S, the exposed area A1 of the inlet corresponding to thecase that the curved portion is not provided is greater than the exposedarea A2 of the inlet corresponding to the case that the curved portionis provided. Therefore, the first front curved portion 511 and thesecond front curved portion 611 become a mechanism for maximizing theexposed area of the inlet 317 inside the first space 11 of which volumeis limited.

Meanwhile, a case that the drawer body 31 should be detached from thefirst space 11 may occur in the storage device P having theaforementioned structure. In order that the drawer body 31 is detachedfrom the first space 11, it is preferable that the second connector 94is detachably provided in the drawer body 31.

As shown in FIG. 11, the second connector 94 may be provided to furtherinclude a detachable body 941 to which the drawer body 31 is detachablycoupled, and a connector guider (or connector guide) 97 for detachingthe detachable body 941 from the drawer 31 when the drawer body 31 isdrawn out of the first space 11. As shown in FIG. 13, the detachablebody 941 is inserted into the second slot 541 and moves along the insideof the second slot 541, wherein detachable body 941 is connected to thesecond gear 93 through a hinge 947 and coupled to the connector guider97 through a coupling axis 945.

A gear operation unit detachably coupled to the detachable body 941 isprovided in the drawer body 31, and may be provided as a groove providedas the drawer body 31 is concavely bent, or may be provided as aprotrusion (see FIG. 11) protruded from the drawer body 31 toward thefirst body 51. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of the detachable body 941when the gear operation unit (or gear operation protrusion) 35 isprovided in a shape protruded from the drawer body 31 to the first body51. In this case, a groove 943 to which the gear operation unit 35 isdetachably coupled is provided in the detachable body 941.

The groove 943 is provided to be fixed to the detachable body 941, andmay be formed by a first stopper 943 a and a second stopper 943 b, whichare spaced apart from each other as much as a space in which the gearoperation unit 35 may be received. The first stopper 943 a is defined asa stopper close to the first opened surface 11 out of which the drawerbody 31 is drawn, and the second stopper 943 b is defined as a stopperprovided to be further away from the first opened surface 111 than thefirst stopper 943 a.

The connector guider 97 is a mechanism for moving the coupling axis 945to allow the first stopper 943 a located to be close to the first openedsurface 111 to be far away from the drawer body 31 if the drawer body 31is drawn out of the first space 11 at a preset reference distance L (seeFIG. 15) or more.

The connector guider 97 may include a guider body (or guide body) 971provided inside the second gear guider 54, having a first surface 973(see FIG. 11) and a second surface 975, and axis guiders (or axisguides) 977 and 979 provided in the guider body 971 to allow thecoupling axis 945 to be inserted thereinto. The first surface 973 is anopened surface for allowing the detachable body 942 provided inside theguider body 971 to be connected with the second gear 93, and the secondsurface 975 is an opened surface for allowing the detachable body 974 tobe inserted into the second slot 541.

Meanwhile, the axis guiders are provided as the first axis guider (orfirst axis guide) 977 and the second axis guider (or first axis guide)979 provided to pass through the guider body 971, wherein the first axisguider 977 is provided in parallel with the moving direction of thedrawer body 31 and the second axis guider 979 is provided to be extendedfrom the first axis guider and far away from the drawer body toward thefirst opened surface 111. Unlike the aforementioned description, theconnector guider 97 may be implemented in such a manner that the firstaxis guider 977 and the second axis guider 979 are provided in thesecond gear guider 54.

Hereinafter, the operation procedure of the storage device P accordingto the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described withreference to FIGS. 14 to 17. FIG. 14 illustrates that the drawer body 31is not drawn out of the first space 11. In this case, since the covermember body 71 is at the reference position, a front space of the inlet317 of the storage unit is not exposed externally by the cover memberbody 71.

Since the cover member body 71 and the moving unit 75 should reciprocateat the upper portion of the drawer body 31, a sum of lengths of thecover member body 71 and the moving body 751 with respect to thedraw-out direction (X-axis direction) of the drawer body 31 is shorterthan the length of the inlet 317 with respect to the draw-out directionof the drawer body 31. Therefore, the air supplied to the first space 11through the heat exchanger 2 (see FIG. 15) will be supplied into thestorage unit 311 through the space formed at the rear of the moving body751. In order that the air supplied through the heat exchanger 2 entersthe storage unit 311 more easily, a storage space communication unit 37may further be provided on a surface of the drawer body 31, which islocated in a direction of the air entering the first space 11.

FIG. 15 illustrates that the air enters the storage unit through a rearsurface of the first space 11. In this case, the storage spacecommunication unit 37 may be provided on the rear surface of the drawerbody 31. The storage space communication unit 37 may be provided as ahole that passes through the drawer body 31, or may be provided as agroove bent concavely from the upper end of the drawer body 31.

If the user draws the drawer body 31 out of the first space 11 throughthe handle 313 in the state of FIG. 15, the gear operation unit 35 andthe detachable body 941 move to the same direction as the drawer body31. If the detachable body 941 moves to the same direction (X-axisdirection) as the drawer body 31, the first gear 91 may move to anopposite direction (−X-axis direction) of the moving direction of thedrawer body 31 by means of the connection gear 95.

Since the first gear 91 is connected with the moving body 751, the covermember body 71 connected to the moving body 751 will move toward anopposite direction of the moving direction of the drawer body 31 (movetoward a rear surface of the first space). As shown in FIG. 7, the covermember body 71 will move the rear surface of the first space 11 (movetoward −X-axis direction) when the drawer body 31 moves. Therefore, inthe present disclosure, the inlet 317 may be exposed as much as a sum ofthe area of the inlet 317 exposed as the drawer body 31 is drawn out ofthe first space 11 and the area of the inlet 317 exposed as the covermember body 71 moves through the inside of the first space 11.

Moreover, since the first front curved portion 511 and the second frontcurved portion 611 are provided at the front on the upper surface of thefirst support unit 5 and the second support unit 6 by which the covermember body 71 is supported, according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure, the exposed area of the inlet 317 may be maximized. Theaforementioned effect may be very useful when a mechanism for supportingstorage goods, such as a rack, is located at the upper portion of thestorage device P. If an interval between the support mechanism locatedat the upper portion of the storage device P and the storage device P isnarrow, the user should more and more draw the drawer body 31 out of thefirst space 11 to insert storage goods having a great volume into thestorage unit 311. In the present disclosure, the inlet 317 may beexposed at an area greater than the draw-out area of the drawer body 31.

Meanwhile, since the slot 773 for connecting the protrusion 771 providedin the cover member body 71 with the moving body 751 is provided toallow the protrusion 771 to move along a height direction (Y-axisdirection) of the drawer body, when the cover member body 71 moves tothe rear of the drawer body 31 along the first front curved portion 511and the second front curved portion 611, the surface of the cover memberbody 71 may move to the rear of the drawer body 31 along each of thecurved portions 511 and 611. Since the cover member flanges 711 and 713(see FIG. 10) provided in the cover member body 71 are inserted intoflange storage grooves 57 and 67 respectively provided in the supportunits 5 and 6, a problem that the cover member body 71 is twisted whenthe moving body 751 moves is solved.

If the cover member body 71 is twisted at the upper portion of thedrawer body 31, it may be difficult to move the cover member body 71 tothe rear of the drawer body 31, whereby cover member guiders in which anedge of the cover member body 71 is received may further be provided inthe curved portions 511 and 513 of the first body and the curvedportions 611 and 613 of the second body in addition to the flanges 711and 713 and the flange storage grooves 57 and 67. That is, a first coverguider 56 (see FIG. 10) in which the edge of the cover member body 71 isreceived may further be provided in the first rear curved portion 511and the first rear curved portion 513, and a second cover guider 66 (seeFIG. 10) in which the edge of the cover member body 71 is received mayfurther be provided in the second front curved portion 611 and thesecond rear curved portion 613.

If the drawer body 31 is required to be detached from the first space 11to clean the drawer body 31 for example, the user has only to pull thedrawer body 31 in a direction of the first opened surface 111. As shownin FIG. 17, if the drawer body 31 is drawn out of the first space 11 ata reference distance L or more, the drawer body 31 becomes detachablefrom the driving unit 500. The reference distance L may be defined as amoving distance of the gear operation unit 35 that allows the couplingaxis 945 to enter the second axis guider 979.

If the drawer body 31 is drawn out of the first space 11 at thereference distance or more, the coupling axis 945 may move to adirection far away from the drawer body 31 by means of the second axisguider 979. In this case, since the first stopper 943 a moves to adirection far away from the drawer body 31, the gear operation unit 35may be detached from the groove 943 of the detachable body 941.

In the embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 17, theelastic member 900 is omitted. However, in this embodiment, the elasticmember 900 may be provided in the same manner as the other embodiments.The elastic member enables automatic insertion of the storage member andautomatic shielding of the cover member. Since movement of the storagemember interworks with movement of the cover member, the user maymanipulate the storage member only without manipulating the covermember. Therefore, the user may use the storage member veryconveniently.

In certain implementations, an apparatus comprises: a cabinet having astorage space; a door to selectively open or close the storage space; adrawer provided in the storage space and configured to be selectivelyinserted into or drawn out of the storage space, the drawer having aninlet through which goods are inserted into or removed from the drawer;supports configured to provide a moving path of the drawer and providedat sides of the drawer such that inner sides of the supports face eachother; a cover provided to open or close the inlet and supported by thesupports; and a driving assembly including gearing to interconnect thedrawer and the cover such that the cover and the drawer move in oppositedirections when the drawer is inserted into or drawn out of the storagespace, wherein a front end of the cover rises along the supports whilemoving backward when the drawer is being drawn out of the storage space.

The supports may include curved regions provided at a front of thesupports to allow the cover to move along the curved regions. The covermay include a curved surface which is provided at the front end of thecover and is supported by the curved regions of the supports, acurvature of the curved surface corresponding to a curvature of thecurved regions of the supports.

The cover may include: a cover plate supported by the supports; a movingassembly that moves in an opposite direction of the moving direction ofthe drawer through the driving assembly; and a fastener configured toconnect the cover body with the moving assembly. The cover may includecover flanges that support the cover plate in the supports and areprovided in the cover plate, and each of the supports may furtherinclude a flange storage groove in which one of the cover flanges isreceived.

The moving assembly may include a moving plate provided parallel withthe inlet, and extensions which couple the driving assembly torespective ends of the moving plate. The fastener may include aprotrusion provided in one of the cover plate or the moving plate, and aslot provided in another one of the cover plate or the moving plate toreceive the protrusion. The slot may be provided along a heightdirection of the extension such that the protrusion moves along a heightdirection of the drawer when the cover plate moves along the supports.

The driving assembly may include: a first gear supported in one of thesupports and fixed to the drawer; a second gear supported in the one ofthe supports and fixed to the cover; and a connecting gear rotatablyprovided between the first gear and the second gear to connect the firstgear with the second gear and rotatably fixed to the one of thesupports. Each of the supports may further include: a first gear guidethat provides a moving path of the first gear; and a second gear guidethat provides a moving path of the second gear.

The driving assembly further may include: a first connector that couplesthe first gear and the cover; and a second connector that couples thesecond gear and the drawer, wherein each of the supports furtherincludes: a plate provided to extend along a direction parallel to amoving direction of the drawer; a first gear guide provided on a firstside of the plate that is opposite to a second side of the body facingthe drawer to provide a moving path of the first gear; a first slotconfigured to penetrate the plate inside the first gear guide to providea moving path of the first connector; a second gear guide provided onthe first side of the body to provide a moving path of the second gear;and a second slot configured to penetrate the body inside the secondgear guider to provide a moving path of the second connector.

The second connector may include: a detachable body to which the draweris detachably coupled; and a connector guide that detaches thedetachable body from the drawer when the drawer is drawn out of thestorage space. The drawer may include a gear operation protrusiondetachably coupled to the detachable body, and the detachable bodyincludes a first stopper and a second stopper in which the gearoperation protrusion is received, and a coupling axis coupled to theconnector guide.

The connector guide may include: a guide body provided inside the secondgear guide; and axis guides provided in the guide body and configured toreceive the coupling axis. The axis guide may include: a first axisguide provided in parallel with the moving direction of the drawerinside the second gear guide to provide a moving path of the couplingaxis; and a second axis guide provided to extend from the first axisguide and away from the drawer toward the door.

In another implementation, an apparatus comprises: a cabinet having astorage space; a door to selectively open or close the storage space; adrawer provided in the storage space and configured to be selectivelyinserted into or drawn out of the storage space, the drawer having aninlet through which goods are inserted into or removed from the drawer;supports configured to provide a moving path of the drawer and providedat sides of the drawer such that inner sides of the supports face eachother; a cover provided to open or close the inlet and positioned onupper surfaces of the supports; a first gear supported in one of thesupports and fixed to the drawer; a second gear supported in the one ofthe supports and fixed to the drawer; and a connecting gear rotatablyprovided between the first gear and the second gear to connect the firstgear with the second gear and rotatably fixed to the one of the supportssuch that the first gear and the second gear move in differentdirections when the drawer is inserted into or drawn out of the storagespace.

The supports may include curved regions provided at a front of thesupports to allow the cover to move along the curved regions, and thecover may include a curved surface which is provided at the front end ofthe cover and is supported by the curved regions of the supports, acurvature of the curved surface corresponding to a curvature of thecurved regions of the supports.

The cover may include: a cover plate supported by the supports; a movingassembly that is coupled to the second gear to moves in an oppositedirection of the moving direction of the drawer through the drivingassembly; and a fastener configured to connect the cover body with themoving assembly. The cover may further include cover flanges thatsupport the cover plate in the supports and are provided in the coverplate, and each of the supports further may include a flange storagegroove in which one of the cover flanges is received.

The moving assembly may include a moving plate provided parallel withthe inlet, and extensions which couple the driving assembly torespective ends of the moving plate, and the fastener includes aprotrusion provided in one of the cover plate or the moving plate, and aslot provided in another one of the cover plate or the moving plate toreceive the protrusion.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the presentdisclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit and essential characteristics of the disclosure. Thus,the above embodiments are to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the disclosure should bedetermined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims and allchange which comes within the equivalent scope of the disclosure areincluded in the scope of the disclosure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Industrial applicability is disclosed in the detailed description of thepresent disclosure.

1. An apparatus comprising: a cabinet having a storage space; a door toselectively open or close the storage space; a drawer provided in thestorage space and configured to be selectively inserted into or drawnout of the storage space, the drawer having an inlet through which goodsare inserted into or removed from the drawer; supports configured toprovide a moving path of the drawer and provided at sides of the drawersuch that inner sides of the supports face each other; a cover providedto open or close the inlet and supported by the supports; and a drivingassembly including gearing to interconnect the drawer and the cover suchthat the cover and the drawer move in opposite directions when thedrawer is inserted into or drawn out of the storage space, wherein afront end of the cover rises along the supports while moving backwardwhen the drawer is being drawn out of the storage space.
 2. Theapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supports include curvedregions provided at a front of the supports to allow the cover to movealong the curved regions.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe cover includes a curved surface which is provided at the front endof the cover and is supported by the curved regions of the supports, acurvature of the curved surface corresponding to a curvature of thecurved regions of the supports.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the cover includes: a cover plate supported by the supports; amoving assembly that moves in an opposite direction of the movingdirection of the drawer through the driving assembly; and a fastenerconfigured to connect the cover body with the moving assembly.
 5. Theapparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cover further includes coverflanges that support the cover plate in the supports and are provided inthe cover plate, and each of the supports further includes a flangestorage groove in which one of the cover flanges is received.
 6. Theapparatus according to claim 5, wherein the moving assembly includes amoving plate provided parallel with the inlet, and extensions whichcouple the driving assembly to respective ends of the moving plate. 7.The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the fastener includes aprotrusion provided in one of the cover plate or the moving plate, and aslot provided in another one of the cover plate or the moving plate toreceive the protrusion.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, whereinthe slot is provided along a height direction of the extension such thatthe protrusion moves along a height direction of the drawer when thecover plate moves along the supports.
 9. The apparatus according toclaim 4, wherein the driving assembly includes: a first gear supportedin one of the supports and fixed to the drawer; a second gear supportedin the one of the supports and fixed to the cover; and a connecting gearrotatably provided between the first gear and the second gear to connectthe first gear with the second gear and rotatably fixed to the one ofthe supports.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each ofthe supports further includes: a first gear guide that provides a movingpath of the first gear; and a second gear guide that provides a movingpath of the second gear.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 9, whereinthe driving assembly further includes: a first connector that couplesthe first gear and the cover; and a second connector that couples thesecond gear and the drawer, wherein each of the supports furtherincludes: a plate provided to extend along a direction parallel to amoving direction of the drawer; a first gear guide provided on a firstside of the plate that is opposite to a second side of the body facingthe drawer to provide a moving path of the first gear; a first slotconfigured to penetrate the plate inside the first gear guide to providea moving path of the first connector; a second gear guide provided onthe first side of the body to provide a moving path of the second gear;and a second slot configured to penetrate the body inside the secondgear guider to provide a moving path of the second connector.
 12. Theapparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second connector includes:a detachable body to which the drawer is detachably coupled; and aconnector guide that detaches the detachable body from the drawer whenthe drawer is drawn out of the storage space.
 13. The apparatusaccording to claim 12, wherein the drawer includes a gear operationprotrusion detachably coupled to the detachable body, and the detachablebody includes a first stopper and a second stopper in which the gearoperation protrusion is received, and a coupling axis coupled to theconnector guide.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein theconnector guide includes: a guide body provided inside the second gearguide; and axis guides provided in the guide body and configured toreceive the coupling axis.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 14,wherein the axis guide include: a first axis guide provided in parallelwith the moving direction of the drawer inside the second gear guide toprovide a moving path of the coupling axis; and a second axis guideprovided to extend from the first axis guide and away from the drawertoward the door.
 16. An apparatus comprising: a cabinet having a storagespace; a door to selectively open or close the storage space; a drawerprovided in the storage space and configured to be selectively insertedinto or drawn out of the storage space, the drawer having an inletthrough which goods are inserted into or removed from the drawer;supports configured to provide a moving path of the drawer and providedat sides of the drawer such that inner sides of the supports face eachother; a cover provided to open or close the inlet and positioned onupper surfaces of the supports; a first gear supported in one of thesupports and fixed to the drawer; a second gear supported in the one ofthe supports and fixed to the cover; and a connecting gear rotatablyprovided between the first gear and the second gear to connect the firstgear with the second gear and rotatably fixed to the one of the supportssuch that the first gear and the second gear move in differentdirections when the drawer is inserted into or drawn out of the storagespace.
 17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the supportsinclude curved regions provided at a front of the supports to allow thecover to move along the curved regions, and wherein the cover includes acurved surface which is provided at the front end of the cover and issupported by the curved regions of the supports, a curvature of thecurved surface corresponding to a curvature of the curved regions of thesupports.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the coverincludes: a cover plate supported by the supports; a moving assemblythat is coupled to the second gear to moves in an opposite direction ofthe moving direction of the drawer through the driving assembly; and afastener configured to connect the cover body with the moving assembly.19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the cover furtherincludes cover flanges that support the cover plate in the supports andare provided in the cover plate, and each of the supports furtherincludes a flange storage groove in which one of the cover flanges isreceived.
 20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the movingassembly includes a moving plate provided parallel with the inlet, andextensions which couple the driving assembly to respective ends of themoving plate, and wherein the fastener includes a protrusion provided inone of the cover plate or the moving plate, and a slot provided inanother one of the cover plate or the moving plate to receive theprotrusion.